The 9 most stunning national parks to explore in Australia

If you’ve ever dreamt of exploring the land before time (friendly dinosaur babies not guaranteed), look no further than Kakadu. It's a World Heritage Site and Australia's biggest national park. Tucked into the top end of the Northern Territory, just a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Darwin, Kakadu is the traditional land of the Bininj and Mungguy people and home to 19 different clan groups. Covering 20,000 square kilometres, the wild land is rich with tiny yellow butterflies, rolling lightning storms, ancient rock art galleries, immense red gorges and deep blue pools. It'll stay inside you long after you leave.

People bang on about the Grampians for good reason: it’s positively glorious. Populated by high sandstone peaks, gorgeous wildflowers and the epic Pinnacle walk, it’s the perfect place to shirtfront some nature. Known to the traditional owners of this land as Gariwerd, the area is also known for having one of the biggest collections of Indigenous rock art sites in south-eastern Australia.

In the high, emerald tropics of Far North Queensland is one of the most gorgeous rainforests on Earth – the Daintree. Also known as Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land, the Daintree National Park is the traditional land of the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people, who have been custodians of this land for 50,000 years. From the world-renowned rainforesty wonders of Mossman Gorge, to where the rainforest meets the sea at Cape Tribulation, you'll be bedazzled by this special place's abundance of rainbow birds, lush green vines and swimming holes. Keep your eyes peeled for a cassowary sighting – just don't get too close. 

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is home to our nation's real and proverbial heart – Uluru, but that's not the only spectacular thing you'll find here. Located on the ancient and deeply sacred lands of the Anagu people, this national park is steeped in an ancient stories and powerful spiritual significance that have been alive for over 65,000 years. Whether you're going to see one of Australia's most famous landmarks, wandering through the magenta cliffs of Kata Tjuta (also known as The Olgas), or strolling, bike riding or hiking through the multicoloured desert wilderness, you'll be filled up with a wordless wonder that you'll never forget. 

A UNESCO World Heritage Area, Purnululu in the wild Kimberley region of Western Australia is one of the most naturally spectacular places on Earth. This moonscape-like terrain is home to the incredible Bungle Bungle mountain range, a 350 million-year-old series of gigantic rocky domes that burst out of the fertile green earth in a way that defies understanding. The best way to see Purnululu is by walking through the numerous incredible rock formations or, if you're feeling bougie, by helicopter.

If you can find the Great Barrier Reef, Whitehaven Beach and countless pristine tropical islands, lapped by the warm blue waters of the Coral Sea in one place, you know you're somewhere good. Enter: Whitsunday Islands National Park in far north Queensland. The traditional lands of the Ngaro people, this world-heritage listed national park can be seen by water, land or sky, and promises a wealth of jaw-dropping experiences, pure white sand and turquoise waters that you shan't forget in a hurry. 

Litchfield National Park is a lush and verdant corner of the Northern Territory that often gets forgotten. The traditional lands of the Marrathiel, Marranunggu, Werat, Warray and Koongurrukun people (amongst many others), this waterfall-filled oasis is just 60 minutes from Darwin. A deeply ancient and sacred place that has been protected by its people for millennia, you'll find wild beauty, profound peacefulness and awe-inspiring views – as well as some very special croc-safe swimming holes.

Rugged, wild and lush – Freycinet is just one of Tasmania's many stunning national parks, but it's making this list because of its incredible beauty and gorgeous diversity of landscapes. From the curvy glassy waters of Wineglass Bay, to lush bushwalks, to numerous secluded sandy coves, to gazing at the towering granite towers of the Hazards rising up from the turquoise bay, Freycinet does it all, and does it well. 

In Sydney but want nature, right now? The Royal National Park is less than an hour's drive from the CBD, yet so many Sydneysiders haven't stepped foot in the pristine 15,091 hectares of bushland that lines the coast south of Sydney. Whether you want to swim, trek, picnic, swim, bike ride, swim or just run away from the big smoke for the day, the Royal National Park will provide an outdoors, adventure-filled day out.